The Book Chat

Available Sept. 1, 2010

Cat: So how long ago did you start writing Alpha Redemption? Did you have a plan, or did it just happen?

Paul: It was one of those ideas that came to me very quickly and was complete in my mind within a very short period of time. I started it about eighteen months ago in the lead up to the Marcher Lord Select contest.

The “germ” came from watching and participating in debates between theists and atheists. The atheists seemed to be of the opinion that belief in God is irrational and illogical. Their attitude was that if you cannot put it in a test-tube and poke it with a stick, then it does not exist. Theists countered this with the fact that we have knowledge of plenty of things that cannot be seen, such as love, hope, sorrow and faith. These are things that cannot be prodded with a stick and yet no one would dare say they do not exist.

My idea for Alpha came from wondering what a purely logical being would make of faith and God. If such an entity were to learn about God, what would it make of this knowledge, and would it be able to sway the opinion of an atheist? I saw a computer and a human, alone in a space ship, sitting and talking about God. The rest came very quickly and I had a first draft finished in about three months.

Cat: Sigh. I should give up writing fiction and just boss other writers around. You and Marc both do this freight train thing, and I just haven’t learned to yet.

I have to say that my favourite part of working with you on Alpha was being able to say, “Okay, try this,” or “Right here, let’s do this,” and being able to just let you run with it. Skeleton suggestions instantly blossomed into your own unique ideas and expressions. You are probably the easiest writer I’ve ever worked with. No question, you’ve put in the time to learn the ropes. But it was not a straightforward journey, I understand. How long ago did you begin writing? Why start? Why keep at it?

Paul: Okay, this is a long story but I’ll try to be brief (he says while cracking his knuckles and taking a deep breath).

It was about fourteen years ago now when I asked God for something I could do for Him. Soon after that I had a story rattling around my head that refused to go away, and so I set about writing it down.

Being a rank beginner, I assumed the world would adore my masterpiece and that there was a publisher out there just waiting for my manuscript to land on his or her desk. I bought a writer’s reference book and sent out what was essentially an unfinished, virtually unedited, third draft to the top two UK publishers. They sent back polite but firm rejection letters.

I did some research and decided to try agents instead. A few polite letters came back and so I switched my attention to the US. I think I tried three of four big agents before one of them expressed interest on condition that I add more dialogue. The next letter I received from them was to ask if they could represent me. I was overjoyed. My new career had begun.

On the strength of this, I wrote three more novels and sent them to “my agent” (I loved how that sounded). They liked them and took them on board. A dozen rejection letters and a year later, they informed me that, although my first novel had come close with a major sci-fi publisher, they could no longer represent me as my writing was simply not strong enough. They said it was “solid” but not “slick” enough. Having no idea what that meant, I continued writing and occasionally sent something out. I made the short-list of a small company but got no further. I continued to add to my growing pile of rejection letters, slowly sinking into self-doubt.

Cat: Ah, self-doubt. I live there, so if you want to catch the local landmarks most tourists miss out on…but you moved on to greener pastures, yes?

Paul: I still wrote, but just for the fun of it, creating stories for my kids, always trying to find that missing element. I stopped submitting to publishers, assuming this was not part of God’s plan for me. Perhaps He only wanted me to write for my kids. I wasn’t sure He wanted me to write at all.

Then a colleague asked to see a first chapter and he liked it a lot. He said I reminded him of one of those musical bands you see in a small club and wonder why they are not in the hit parade. He choked up while discussing an emotional moment in my story and asked me to sign a copy, convinced it would be published one day.

At this point I wondered if I had finally found that elusive missing element. I submitted to more publishers. Again, they all said “no”. Devastated, I decided then that I would stop sending my work out. About two years after that I started a degree to help me with my bread-and-butter career. I chose Creative Writing simply because I figured I wouldn’t have too much difficulty with something I already knew quite a bit about.

In the second year, the tutor liked one of the four short stories I was required to write for the course, and suggested I submit it for competitions. Later that year, the course assessor awarded me an A for my four short stories and suggested I should seek publication for all of them.

I went back to God and handed it all to Him. I would write for Him and submit to publishers,  but I asked that He only open those doors that He wanted opening. I found Marcher Lord Press and started a novel. After submitting it, the idea for Alpha came and I heard about the Marcher Lord Select contest. I finished Alpha and submitted it, expecting it to do poorly. During the contest, it attracted a lot of attention but only made the semi-finals. However, it did catch the eye of Grace Bridges and she asked to see it. A few plot changes later, she offered to publish it.

Cat: So you have a drawer full of manuscripts, really. I identify with that, and I think for most of us it’s that same long haul. And the most important, unmissable part is learning just that — to hand it all to God.

Paul: I believe the reason it took me so long was because I had to learn how to write from scratch. I had always been an avid reader, and at school I enjoyed creative writing, but that was the limit of my experience. I knew what I liked in a story, and I tried to emulate that. I believe it was just a matter of learning my chosen craft.

And now I think I finally understand what they meant by it not being “slick” enough. I think it was my “voice” that was missing. I think it was necessary for me to write all those years so that I would find and develop my own unique style of writing. Looking back, I can honestly say that I am glad that my earlier works were never accepted, simply because I was not ready.

Cat: Yes, that voice is what had me from the first page with Alpha. It is delightful. (And by the way, I don’t recommend every project I work on — I reserve the right to be a fickle human being once it’s off my desk. This one really just clicks for me.) So once more, here’s the shameless plug: Alpha Redemption releases today, Sept 1, from Splashdown Books. Here is the link to the bookshop. I wish you would buy it, because it’s only $9.95 USD and it will be tremendously meaningful to Paul if you do.

And guess what! Tomorrow we have more silly talk and world photo tours with P.A. Baines, International Adventurer. See you then.